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Northern Idaho whitetails

RUTTIN

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Joined
May 10, 2001
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So it's decided going to finally hunt whitetails! I've never been and any help in any of the northern units would be great! I'm hoping to find some where that has cheap hotels or cabins to rent ! I will be going in mid nov hoping to hit the rut ! Thanks in advance
 
Most all the steelhead towns will have lodging I'd think, but that may require a bit of a drive to get to the whitetails. The one time I hunted them up there, we stayed in Orofino and drove up on top off the reservation lands to the north. Plenty of public accessible lands and the two folks we asked for permission granted it. If it would have been just me I would've camp on top, instead of driving everyday, but it's an option.
 
Hey 1 pointer
How was your hunt up there? Did you have success? How far of a drive was you making everyday? What time of year did you hunt?
 
Hunt was fun. No "success" in that I didn't kill anything but was a great week spent with my father. We went at the beginning of the season and I wouldn't do that again. The crops had just been harvested and from what we saw and the locals we talked to the deer patterns changed considerably. If I do that hunt again it will be a rut time hunt like you are proposing. Not sure of the distance but it took about 30-45 mins driving to get where we hunted. Not terribly far as the driving is far from fast. I would love to hit the pre-rut/rut up that way some year. Hunting off a boat on Dworshak would be a hoot I think and a good way to cover lots of ground.
 
I've hunted whitetails the past three seasons in unit 15 outside elk city. filled my tag every year. happy to help if you'd consider this "northern ID.
 
Bringing back memories from This "Vandal"

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Loving the info guys!! I'll pin down a unit in the next couple weeks! I'm excited to finally hunt deer in the rut!!
 
I like the late whitetail muzzleloader hunt in unit 16 near Kooski, it has always been great.
 
Maybe pick you up a wolf tag, just in case!!!! I would hate to see one and not be able to shoot it
 
I have thrown around this hunt in the back of my mind also thought of the spring bear up there. I would love to catch one of those light phased bears running around up there.
 
Feel free to message me for info in the Clearwater country. I have hunted it for over 30 years and know it well. I know some great cabins to rent right in the middle of great deer country.
 
The Clearwater is great country, for sure. It depends where you're coming from but I would also consider the northern end of the panhandle, near Bonner's Ferry and Boundary County. It's thick country but has both quality and quantity, and public land.
 
I've hunted whitetails the past three seasons in unit 15 outside elk city. filled my tag every year. happy to help if you'd consider this "northern ID.
Hello, I'm relatively new to Idaho and haven't yet hunted. I'm originally from Texas and hunted whitetail quite a bit. I'm interested in Unit 15 and plan to enter the controlled hunt drawing. In Texas it was mostly sit in a blind and hunt early morning or late afternoon. I have a small 17ft RV trailer and a small UTV. Are there places in Unit 15 to camp and would a UTV have any value in using for the hunt? Any tips you have would be appreciated. My son, who is 25, will likely be hunting with me. Thanks! Bill
 
Unit 15 is not a draw - OTC - Nearly 100% of whitetail country in Idaho is a general OTC whitetail tag and a regular tag works until Nov 3. Unit 15 has perhaps the most camping areas possible in a unit, even with a trailer. Oct 10 - Nov 20. Further north units run until Dec 1
 
Unit 15 is not a draw - OTC - Nearly 100% of whitetail country in Idaho is a general OTC whitetail tag and a regular tag works until Nov 3. Unit 15 has perhaps the most camping areas possible in a unit, even with a trailer. Oct 10 - Nov 20. Further north units run until Dec 1

Didn’t the season get shortened on some of those units? Like November 25ish?
 
Looks like some are still Dec 1st, and some much shorter.


105949
 
I've hunted unit 1 out of Coolin and it was decent. Very thick, so a greedy and would've been nice to have.

Haven't been back therefor 10 years. I'd contact the Bio for that unit . .

Kris
 
I've hunted whitetails the past three seasons in unit 15 outside elk city. filled my tag every year. happy to help if you'd consider this "northern ID.
I've hunted out of Lewiston several times and did ok. How was the access and habitat in 15? I almost hunted it 2 years ago but went out of Riggins instead. Didn't care for it.

Kris
 
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